HAZELWOOD FAMILIES TAKE PETITION TO DERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL…

Families and campaigners have challenged plans by Conservative run Derbyshire County Council to close Hazelwood, the last council run care home in Ilkeston.

A petition signed by 3813 people was presented and families and campaigners asked questions from the public gallery.

Catherine Atkinson, Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Erewash said: “You can’t do this to vulnerable elderly people at Christmas. Today the Cabinet member ignored our specific questions and just gave a vague answer, it was totally unsatisfactory. I can’t decide whether the way the Tory Council are handling this is incompetent or cruel.”

“I asked why DCC was reneging on its promise to the people of Ilkeston that it would continue to have a council care home in the town. They gave no answer and no commitment that residents would be able to stay in Ilkeston should it close. The Conservative Cabinet member admitted that closing Hazelwood would be breach of their manifesto promise “not to close an existing old people’ s home until a new one was available for residents””

Georgina Thornley said: “We are a strong united campaign and will continue to fight the planned closure for the sake of all our relatives, who want to stay there. We are asking the Council administration to stop, and change their minds now, so our families don’t have this ruin their Christmas.”

Background: The previous Labour council administration had pledged to keep Hazelwood open. Before that, the previous Conservative administration had tried to close every care home in Derbyshire.

Photos:
1. Campaigners at Derbyshire County Council in Matlock. Including families of residents of Hazelwood care home. Family member Georgina Thornley presenting petition to the Cabinet member Cllr Jean Wharmby. With Catherine Atkinson, Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Erewash. Danny Treacy, Erewash Borough Councillor for Cotmanhay.
2. Catherine Atkinson puts Councillors on the spot with a question from the public gallery.